“My king, we need to restock the ship’s supplies. We are low on food and fresh water.”

Koda folded his arms and leaned on his right leg. He looked the captain up and down. “I don’t think entering the port of a pirate city is very wise, Captain Fenn ”

Fenn gripped the ship’s tiller and steadied the boat as the waves grew rougher. The looming, heavy clouds hung lower and the wind blew harder.

“A storm approaches. We can take shelter at Rapscallion Cove and also purchase the supplies we are needing, my king. We don't have much of a choice, if’n you ask me.”

Koda frowned. A pirate city was not a safe place to take shelter. No, it was a place to get robbed.

“Fine, Captain. Take us to Rapscallion Cove,” he finally said.

Koda turned to find Elucard, Raine, and Wildeye standing behind him.

Elucard grabbed his stomach. “We’re nearly out of potatoes and meat. What have you decided on?” he asked. “Brave a storm and head to Tradewind City, or stop at the nearest port town?”

Koda gave a meek smile. “You won’t like my answer.”

Raine raised her brow. “Bad news?”

Koda laughed. “We’ll be stopping in a pirate town. Rrrrapscallion Cove, me matey.” Koda squinted one eye and curled his index finger into a hook.

Raine showed wonder in her eyes. “Pirates!”

Elucard’s face turned stone. “I don’t think this is wise, my king.”

Koda scratched the back of his head. “I know, but what other choice do we have?”

“None, I suppose. No other idea seems plausible without supplies,” replied Elucard.

“Well, I’m going to take a nap,” Koda said a yawn as he stretched out his arms. “I’ve been having the strangest dreams as of late.”

Elucard turned to Wildeye. “When we pull into town, take the others and find us a good tavern to rest at and get some food. I’ll keep an eye on Koda.”

Wildeye nodded.

***

Harsh, freezing winds stung Koda’s flesh. He stood on a treacherous mountain pass as snow pelted his numbing face. He blinked away the ice crystals forming on his eyelashes and trudged on, not knowing where he was going.

As the blizzard roared on, a pair of faint red eyes glowed in the misty air. Koda stopped and fell to his knees. He rubbed his arms, shivering, frightened, and confused. Where was he? Why was he in the mountains, and what was watching him?

“You needn’t be afraid, child,” a low voice, grumbled around him.

“W-who are you?” Koda asked through chattering teeth.

From the veil of snow, the red eyes grew closer. A humanoid shadow formed, but then morphed into the body of a regular black wolf. “I am a friend and your guide.”

Koda’s eyes grew larger with surprise. “That voice… Do you have a name?”

The wolf sat on his hunches and spoke once more. “I am called Tezhok.”

Koda crawled back to his feet and cautiously approached the wolf. He held out his hand and Tezhok complied, allowing Koda to pet him.

“I have a wolf back home,” Koda giggled.

“Please follow me. We are almost there,” said Tezhok.

Koda swallowed hard as the blizzard divided to let him and his guide to pass. Beyond the next rise, Koda came to a large structure nestled in a valley of snow and stone, hidden within the mountains. Koda couldn’t make out the details of the building, only that it had a set of doors at its entrance. Everything else began to blur and grow darker. The elf reached out for Tezhok, but he was gone; as well as the mysterious structure. Only the doors remained.

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He shuffled closer. Closer. Closer. Finally he felt the wood of the doors and pushed them open with a hard grunt. A wave of shadows swept around him and yanked him into a void of darkness.

An eerie voice echoed in the oblivion. “Find me, Koda. When you have nothing else, I will be there.”

Koda gasped and snapped his eyes open to find a large man with a staff raised over his head, clad in a stone-gray leather jacket with black bear fur lining his collar. He had his silver hair slicked back and a metal breathing mask covered his mouth. However it was his golden eyes that sent daggers down Koda’s spine. Crazy—menacing eyes. Starving for murder, hungering to kill him.

Koda leaped out his bed as the electric staff struck the mattress. He rolled behind the man and rushed for the cabin’s exit. Just as he grasped the door’s handle, a set of bolos wrapped up his legs and he crashed to the floor with a thud!

Koda kicked and struggled to be free of the bolos’s leather binding that tied his ankles as the man approached slowly. Danger screamed through Koda’s mind. With a flourish of his arms, several hardened leaves sliced through the air, but crumbled as they were blocked by the man’s staff.

My magic failed! Koda thought. Wait! A staff that breaks down magic? This must be Raze that Elucard spoke of.

Koda’s enemy snatched the elven king by his robes and threw him into the wall. Before he could collapse, the staff rammed his chest and shocked his body with a spurt of burning pain.

Will I always be so weak? No matter how much power I collect, I still can’t protect myself!

Raze slapped Koda with a vicious backhand. Koda went limp, still dangling against the wall.

The man pulled back his staff, and with a swift motion, bashed Koda’s skull and slammed him to the ground.

Koda groggily crawled, inch by inch to the cabin door, but a rough stomp to his back halted his desperate movements.

The man bent over and lifted the elf’s battered body up from by his collar and tossed him like a ragdoll to the bed.

“You are wondering who I am,” said the man with a ghastly tone. “What am I doing here?”

Koda nodded his head, only barely conscious now.

The man chuckled and thrusted his staff under the king’s chin. “I am Raze. Chosen templar of Erzathen and you are an egregious threat to the Dragons.”

He pressed his weapon slowly against Koda’s throat until the elf gagged. “Not since Mateo has the dragons suffered so much by a mage,” spat Raze. “With each liberal use of your Magi, you drain more and more lifeforce from them for your own ill-gotten gain.

“The Dragons cry in anguish and you care for nothing but yourself. You do not hear them sob like I do! For the sake of the realms, you shall perish by my hands—Arrrrrr!!!” A verdant flash of steel sliced across Raze’s back, revealing dragon scale armor.

Elucard entered the fray! The shroud jumped in the air and whipped a kick into Raze’s head. The impact sent him flying and dented the wooden wall.

Before Raze could recover from the attack, Elucard threw Koda across his shoulder and carried the injured elf out of the cabin. On the deck, sheer chaos reigned. Elucard carried Koda through a horde of Spellbreakers locked in combat with Koda’s Royal Escort.

Elucard grunted as he avoided oncoming assaults from his enemies. He sent sidekicks and swung wild punches, connecting with jaws and guts. He sprinted with all of his remaining stamina off the boat, onto the dock, and into the crowded streets of Rapscallion Cove.

Elucard set Koda onto his feet. He leaned on the king against his shoulder to keep balance. Together they strode at a painfully brisk pace. The bodyguard ducked and weaved Koda through the crowd and down narrow alleyways. He checked for Spellbreakers or Raze every step of the way until satisfied that they were not being followed any further.

“Koda! Koda, listen!” Elucard called. He waited for Koda to open his eyes and look at him. “I need you to contact Wildeye and find out where the others are.”

Koda blinked. The side of his head was damped with blood.

“Damn it, Koda! I know you and your familiar have some kind of mental connection!”

Koda sluggishly nodded his head. He placed a bruised hand on his forehead and concentrated through his pulsing headache. Wildeye… I need you.

“Koda! I sense we are in danger! What has happened?”

Koda let out a sigh of relief. The spellbreakers… Where are you?

“The spellbreakers attacked!? Are you alright?”

“Did you find out where they are?” Elucard asked with urgency wrung through his question.

Koda clenched his eyes tightly. “Please Elucard, I’m trying to divulge that information.”

Are you with the others, girl? Where are you?

“Yes, we are all together. We are in a tavern called the Salty Goat.”

We’re on our way!

Koda huffed a long breath. The telepathic conversation, coupled with his battle, took a lot out of him. He looked at Elucard and winced. “The Salty Goat.”

Elucard hefted Koda back to his feet as they began to drag. “Come on. Let’s find some safety.”